A Civil War Christmas

A collaboration with Staged!

November 22, 2016 – December 23, 2016

Alder Stage

Set during a time when the country is divided by conflicting ideologies and convictions following a contentious presidential election, Vogel’s sweeping, music-rich story plays out one frigid Christmas Eve on the banks of the Potomac River. Amid the hubbub of holiday preparations, an array of abolitionists and assassins, slaves and freemen, Union and Confederate soldiers, along with President Lincoln and Mary Todd, all pursue their paths to liberation. Propelled by traditional American songs, marches and spirituals — all revitalized for this production by luminary Portland musicians — A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS is a lively reminder for people of all beliefs about humanity’s potential for compassion, reconciliation and hope.

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright

Uplifting family excursion

NW Premiere

RUN TIME: approximately 2 hours with one 15 minute intermission.Best-suited for school-age children and up. Children under 5 are not allowed.

Check out the blog posts from our Fresh Eyes team Brennan Randel, Matthew Corwin, and Daniel Pollack-Pelzner who have been on the journey with us making this unique production HERE. Our Fresh Eyes program brings ‘civilians’ into the rehearsal process where they get to see what it takes to bring a play to life first-hand and then they make some fascinating observations about the process.

“This production encompasses a microcosm of the world and, perhaps, humanity, as the stories may be specific but the message of tolerance and acceptance is universal.” - Dennis Sparks, Dennis Sparks ReviewsFULL REVIEW

“Of all the holiday offerings on local-stages, I would dub this one the "must-see" of the bunch.” - Kris Haines, The Crippled CriticFULL REVIEW

"To create a holiday entertainment grounded in historical fact, Ms. Vogel weaves a complex tapestry of plotlines that include numerous celebrated figures along with several fictional or composite characters." - The New York TimesFULL REVIEW

Albina Community Plan:The History of Portland's African American Community1805-1993READ

150 Years After Fort Sumpter: Why We’re Still Fighting the Civil WarBy David Von DrehleTime Magazine, April 7, 2011READ

Did the Civil War Ever End?By Ted Widmer New York Times, June 4, 2015READ

Looking Back In Order to Move Forward An Often Untold History Affecting Oregon’s Past, Present and Future Timeline of Oregon and U.S. Racial, Immigration and Education HistoryCompiled by Elaine Rector as part of Coaching for Educational EquityREAD

A Letter to My SonAdapted from Between The World And Me by Ta-Neshisi CoatesBy Ta-Nehisi CoatesAtlantic Magazine, July 4, 2015READ

What Does It Mean to Be White? Developing White Racial LiteracyBy Robin DiAngelo PhDSeattle Times, August 11, 2014READ

What Whiteness Means in the Trump EraBy Nell Irvin Painter New York Times, November 12, 2016READ